Effects and Importance of Soil Wetness and Neighboring Vegetation on Solidago verna

Abstract

Solidago verna (spring-flowering goldenrod) is a rare endemic primarily of frequently burned longleaf pine flatwoods in the Carolinas. It is listed as threatened in North Carolina and as a federal species of concern. Continued threats to the species are fire suppression and habitat destruction, including planned highway construction through the largest known population. Plants in this threatened population were transplanted into study plots on seven Coastal Plain soils varying in wetness. Full vegetation and reduced vegetation treatments were applied to test the effects of plant interactions. Soil was the most important factor affecting transplant survival. Survival was low in areas where ponding or flooding occured. Plant interaction effects on survival differed significantly among soils. Both increasing soil wetness and the presence of neighboring vegetation negatively affected transplant growth; however, most of the decrease in transplant mass was attributed to other environmental factors, possibly shading from the tree canopy or transplanting stress. We recommend establishing mitigation transplant sites on the Lenoir soil series and burning those sites every 1-3 years.